Training - Monday 23rd March, 2015

[Redleg 41,428]

Yep. Hasn't shown anything as a 2nd ruckman/resting forward, which is his only chance of making it at AFL level. Don't want him anywhere near our backline in the seniors.

Well he averages more goals per game than Gawn, Jamar, Spencer etc and kicked 4 in his last 2 games. Is also the quickest of our talls by far and a hard matchup.

i would persevere as Jamar is on his last legs and Gawn has had injuries.

[Moonshadow 17,677]

Fitz to full back makes sense as we lack height down back against certain teams. laust year GCS with Lynch, Day and Dixon all showed up teams with their marking power. This season the Kangas going with Petrie, Waite, Daw and Black will stretch any defence so a 200 cm full back is a good idea IMO. History is littered with struggling forwards who go down back and find the straight ahead line suits them and gives them confidence and some even return to the forward line.

Very good point Older. Its easy to forget that.

[angrydee 842]

I agree Mr Leg

[Outside fifty 967]

The fact is that we have had very few successful forwards, full stop.Why would Fitzy be any different? The glacial way we move the ball forward would test anybody.

[CBDees 3,167]

I don't mind Fitzy being trialled down back especially as Frost seems increasingly destined for the forward line. My impression was that Frost was seen as a replacement for Frawley down back so it is logical to consider Fitzy as a tall in the back half if this is not to be the case, especially whe O. McDonald might not be ready for a few years. I know we have Pederson as a swing player but with injuries I am happy to have two options, especially considering the fact that Fitzy with his athleticism and 200cm height offers more potential "X" factor.

[KingDingAling 3,758]

AS I have said before Frosty was a forward at Wesley and the under 18's and is a serious athlete as some are now finding out. Roos has stated that Freo have started this trend with 190 cm midfielders as do Sydney who even run Buddy in the midfield and Roughy is a sensational clearance player with the Hawks and Blicavs does a similar role at the cattery.

Fitz to full back makes sense as we lack height down back against certain teams. last year GCS with Lynch, Day and Dixon all showed up teams with their marking power. This season the Kangas going with Petrie, Waite, Daw and Black will stretch any defence so a 200 cm full back is a good idea IMO. History is littered with struggling forwards who go down back and find the straight ahead line suits them and gives them confidence and some even return to the forward line.

Good footballer's like Fyfe and Barlow can play anywhere. Nat Fyfe could play forward, midfield, back, wing, and probably even ruck.

Freo might have started this trend, but there are more 190cm mids who fail - then succeed. It isn't a height thing though. It is a football thing.

A lot of 190 plus guys are athletes, they aren't suited to the midfield, alot of them are 'two touch' players, and lack hand eye IMO.

Roughead succeeds in the midfield because he has decent football skills, and has an above average hand eye - from his days as a basketballer.

I hope this trend continues with clubs though, I hope they follow the Freo model - then MFC can snag some Luke Parker's in the draft, on the cheap.

[Moonshadow 17,677]

Any other surprises at training? Viney at FF or Hogan in the midfield?

[jnrmac 20,185]

I like this move.

Interesting experiment....

I suspect he has never played in defence even as a junior so he will have a lot to learn...

[DeeSpencer 26,081]

'George', Tommy Mc would get a game with any team in the AFL.

Yep, and pretty sure he was a struggling forward before he went back.

He wouldn't get near Hawthorn, even before they had Frawley.

Like most of our defenders he's vastly overrated.

[sue 9,142]

He wouldn't get near Hawthorn, even before they had Frawley.

Like most of our defenders he's vastly overrated.

I'm no judge, but I would have thought that defenders who see the ball coming in every 40 seconds because the team fails to get it into our forward line and still doesn't concede a truck-load of goals, must be doing something right.

Edited March 23, 2015 by sue

[#11-TonyAnderson 822]

What is Fitzy's tank like - could he become our Blicavs or play on a wing like Matthew Richardson did at times?

[BrisbaneDemon 1,572]

You want your defenders to have a fair amount of mongrel in them, Fitzy to me doesn't appear to tick that box.

[CityDee 738]

Great move as one of our short comings is that we dont have a tall backman . Tommy mac and Frost cant handle the David Hale tippet types . I suspect that fitzy is being groomed as a back up though . Wouldnt it be great if we could send a resting gawn or jamar into defence when required .

[mo64 5,881]

Well he averages more goals per game than Gawn, Jamar, Spencer etc and kicked 4 in his last 2 games. Is also the quickest of our talls by far and a hard matchup.

i would persevere as Jamar is on his last legs and Gawn has had injuries.

He hasn't shown any development as a ruckman, and isn't good enough to be a stand alone key forward. If we are to persevere with him, it would be as a ruckman, which is why a move to full back seems like his last chance.

[Jesse Christ 2,884]

Fitzy is very meh to me. Everyone is getting excited about him being trialled down back but he is in the same bracket as guys like Bail, McKenzie, M. Jones etc. He isn't a guy that will take us up the ladder. He is ok for depth but nothing more, regardless of where he plays.

I'm not getting excited about it

[Wiseblood 24,637]

AS I have said before Frosty was a forward at Wesley and the under 18's and is a serious athlete as some are now finding out. Roos has stated that Freo have started this trend with 190 cm midfielders as do Sydney who even run Buddy in the midfield and Roughy is a sensational clearance player with the Hawks and Blicavs does a similar role at the cattery.

Fitz to full back makes sense as we lack height down back against certain teams. last year GCS with Lynch, Day and Dixon all showed up teams with their marking power. This season the Kangas going with Petrie, Waite, Daw and Black will stretch any defence so a 200 cm full back is a good idea IMO. History is littered with struggling forwards who go down back and find the straight ahead line suits them and gives them confidence and some even return to the forward line.

The problem is that Fitzy isn't a strong, one on one kind of player. Most of those mentioned above will beat him in a contest more often than not.

Good on the club for trying something different but it seems futile to me.

[rjay 25,088]

He wouldn't get near Hawthorn, even before they had Frawley.

Like most of our defenders he's vastly overrated.

He would be a walk up start. They would have taken him ahead of Frawley if they could.

[hardtack 10,626]

Any other surprises at training? Viney at FF or Hogan in the midfield?

I believe that after Friday night, Viney has cemented himself a place in the back line.

[Demon_Tingles 211]

If McDonald can improve his decision makling/kicking he will without doubt become an AA backman. Only thing Frawley has over him is foot skills and even then it's not by that much. He reminds me of Alex Rance, both very good defenders, neither can kick

[Moonshadow 17,677]

He would be a walk up start. They would have taken him ahead of Frawley if they could.

Not sure I agree with this rjay. Hawks needed a big bodied back to pair with Lake so that Gibson could be released to do his more mobile thing. I think TMac would be a starting player in most clubs but not those with the best defences, such as Hawthorn.

[CityDee 738]

The problem is that Fitzy isn't a strong, one on one kind of player. Most of those mentioned above will beat him in a contest more often than not.

Good on the club for trying something different but it seems futile to me.

Watching fitzy with the ruck group at training push gawn and jamar around . He's strong and knows how to use his body probably requires senior game time .

[Wiseblood 24,637]

Watching fitzy with the ruck group at training push gawn and jamar around . He's strong and knows how to use his body probably requires senior game time .

We all know, going by this pre-season, that we can't put too much stock in what happens at training. Those bigger forwards would push him around with ease.

[Nasher 33,617]

Not sure I agree with this rjay. Hawks needed a big bodied back to pair with Lake so that Gibson could be released to do his more mobile thing. I think TMac would be a starting player in most clubs but not those with the best defences, such as Hawthorn.

What does Frawley offer that McDonald doesn't?

[Matt Demon 1,482]

Fitzy is very meh to me. Everyone is getting excited about him being trialled down back but he is in the same bracket as guys like Bail, McKenzie, M. Jones etc. He isn't a guy that will take us up the ladder. He is ok for depth but nothing more, regardless of where he plays.

You can't polish a terd...

[Wiseblood 24,637]

You can't polish a terd...

I wouldn't go so far as to liken him to that, but I agree with the sentiment.